A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, CREATING AN ADVISORY AD HOC RESILIENCY COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE IN ACCORDANCE WITH NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR CREDIT UNDER THE COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM, TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION (PPI) FOR FLOOD RELATED INFORMATION, AND PRESCRIBING THE PURPOSE, DUTIES, APPOINTMENTS, AND TERMS OF THE COMMITTEE'S MEMBERS.

City of Miami Beach administration recommends the creation of a Program for Public Information Committee, referred to as the Resiliency Communications Committee, to provide support to the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Sea Level Rise.  Miami Beach is actively investing in its infrastructure to reduce risk and adapt to sea level rise and climate change.  This communications effort focuses on yet another component of resilience: economic resilience.  The Committee, along with staff, will create a concrete public information plan that will provide information to reduce flood risk and ultimately reduce the cost of flood insurance.   The creation of the Resiliency Communications Committee is an activity of the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System (CRS) that also compliments our approach to public participation.

Creating the Committee will enhance the City’s participation, and ultimate score, in the Community Rating System.  The Committee will advise on public information needs, communication messages, outreach projects, and outreach implementation.   The Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Sea Level Rise includes the development of a Miami Beach Rising Above Communications Strategy in its work plan.  Integrating this communications strategy with activities to improve our CRS score will leverage both efforts to the benefit of our residents by raising awareness, preparedness, and reducing the cost of flood insurance premiums.  A list recommended list of Committee members, based on experience and qualifications, is included for your consideration and approval.  

The Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Sea Level Rise endorsed this recommendation at their August 30, 2016 meeting.

The goals of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are to provide flood insurance to property owners, to encourage flood loss reduction activities by communities, and to save taxpayers’ money. The City of Miami Beach has participated in the NFIP and the Community Rating System (CRS) since 1996.  The CRS is a voluntary program that provides both incentives and tools to further these goals.

Our goal is to improve our CRS score from a Class 6 rating to a Class 5 rating.  Participation in the program has resulted in significant savings.  Over the years, the City has gradually improved its score, and was awarded a Class 6 rating in 2012.  This rating currently saves residents 20% on their flood insurance premiums - an estimated $6 million annually.  This equates to $136 in savings for the average $527 premium.   Achieving the next level, a Class 5 rating, will add another 5% in savings, and increase the savings to an estimated $7.5 million.  This equates to $170 in savings for the average premium.  

The CRS program has a five-year recertification process and an audit is expected in February 2017.  Mohsen Jarahpour is the City’s Floodplain Manager responsible for this comprehensive effort; with full support from Susanne Torriente, Chief Resiliency Officer/ Assistant City Manager, and project management by Amy Knowles, Deputy Resiliency Officer.   The City is engaging in several new activities to maintain our rating due to significant changes to the scoring system, and more activities to improve our rating.  

The Resiliency Communications Committee will develop a Program for Public Information (PPI), a new activity that will provide important activity points to improve our score and that compliments communications for our Miami Beach Rising Above Resiliency Strategy.   The National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System requires that the Program for Public Information (PPI) be developed according to a seven-step planning and public involvement process defined by the Community Rating Score Program: 

·        Step 1: Establish a Committee that meets at least twice.  The group must include a real estate agent, an insurance agent, a banking industry representative, the City’s Floodplain Management Office representative, and the Public Information Office representative, with at least half of its members from outside local government.

·        Step 2: Assess the community’s public information needs, specifically delineating different target areas within the community, based on different flooding or development conditions.

·        Step 3: Formulate messages. The public information messages needed for each target audience are determined. The Committee identifies a desired outcome for each message.

·        Step 4: Identify outreach projects to convey the messages. The Committee considers what media to use to deliver the identified messages to the target audiences. This may include continuing or revising existing public information and outreach efforts that are already being conducted in the community. Step 4 must produce a list of specific projects and identify who is responsible for them and when they will be implemented.

·        Step 5: The Committee looks at other public information activities in addition to outreach projects. This could include how to best set up a website on flood protection (Activity 350), what technical assistance is needed throughout the community (Activity 360), or how to publicize flood protection services (Activities 320, 350, and 360).

·        Step 6: Prepare the Program for Public Information (PPI) document. The committee’s work is recorded in a formal document. The PPI must be adopted by the community through the City Commission.

·        Step 7: Implement, monitor, and evaluate the program. The Committee meets at least annually to monitor the implementation of the outreach projects. The committee assesses whether the desired outcomes were achieved and what, if anything, should be changed. This work is described in an evaluation report that is prepared each year, sent to the governing body, and included in the annual recertification.

The Committee will meet at least twice this year and at least once yearly going forward.  An annual evaluation report will be provided to the City Commission, and include any change in Committee membership. The Committee needs to meet as soon as possible in order to accomplish its tasks before the February 2017 audit.  Elizabeth Wheaton, Director of the Environment and Sustainability Department, and Amy Knowles, Deputy Resiliency Officer in the City Manager’s Office, will serve as liaisons to the Committee.   Due to the tight timeframe, and based on the membership criteria required by the Community Rating System, the recommended Resiliency Communications Committee members are:

The Administration recommends the creation of the Resiliency Communications Committee to support the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Sea Level Rise. Creating the Committee will enhance the City’s participation, and ultimate score, in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System.  The Committee will advise on the development of the Program for Public Information (PPI) deliverable, a concise document that will be brought to the City Commission for approval this winter, and evaluation reports annually.  

JLM/SMT/AK

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